Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

[Lorraine]

Has anyone looked into this?  I just received a packet from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.  Since it is quite expensive and will take up to 2 years I was wondering if any of you had looked into it or know someone who has tried it. 

I have read all the discussions about BAHA, Cros and now Trans Ear.  If only there was a place where we could just go and try them all to see what works for us!!!  I did watch the video on the Trans Ear unfortunately I have a very small ear canal opening and it doesn't seem like it would work for me.

Thanks for any input you might have.
Lorraine

[Patti UT]

Lorraine,

  I have not heard of this. "retraining" for tinnitus?? SSounds very interesting. Retraining by means of a hearing aid?? Please post a few more details on what the retraining is. The Trans ear thing looked interesting too, but my question was how well it would work for not only single sidded deafness but tinnitus sufferer's.

Patti UT

[Battyp]

My tinnitus is playing off key today (  I like it better when they are both playing the same tune so it's not as noticeable!  Would be interested in what type of training you are referring to.

[Lorraine]

I started replying but I lost my email so here I go again.  This is what I found out about it on this website:  www.tinnitus-pjj.com.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), uses a combination of low level, broad-band noise and counseling to achieve the habituation of tinnitus, that is the patient is no longer aware of their tinnitus, except when they focus their attention on it, and even then tinnitus is not annoying or bothersome.
Tinnitus is accompanied by hyperacusis in about 40% of the cases. Hyperacusis is a decreased tolerance of sound and can be a serious problem. Some patients experience hyperacusis without tinnitus.  Tinnitus Retraining Therapy can restore totally or partially the normal level of sensitivity to sound.

The treatment was started by Pawel J Jastreboff.  From what else I know if involves using a sound generator and possibly hearing aids depending on their evaluation of your tinnitus. There are doctors trained for this in other parts of the states but the main clinic is at Emory.  It involves going there for 1-2 days of tests and then consultations for the first six months (which could be done over the phone) and then every six months until you are doing better....usually their is improvement after the first three months.

If you go on the site....let me know what you think.
Lorraine

[Captain Deb]

I have read all the discussions about BAHA, Cros and now Trans Ear.  If only there was a place where we could just go and try them all to see what works for us!!! 

Thanks for any input you might have.
Lorraine

The ANA Symposium in Philly in July will have just about every apparatus you can think of to try! That's why I'm going! (Well, part of the reason--gotta meet some of the people I've met on this forum!)
Capt Deb